Garment With Thoracic Access

ABSTRACT

A garment for a person to wear includes a torso enclosure and a flap. The torso enclosure has a neck opening, a pair of arm openings, and a transverse chest opening. The transverse chest opening is formed in the torso enclosure so as to be positioned over the inferior thoracic cavity of a person wearing the garment. The flap is affixed to the torso enclosure laterally of the transverse chest opening and is closeable over the transverse chest opening.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/731,832 filed on Nov. 1, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Often, in hospital and nursing home situations, a patient is required to have tubes and wires affixed to their body. Examples of these tubes and wires include heart monitors, breathing tubes, and intravenous delivery tubes. Access to these tubes and lines is sometimes difficult as they may be covered by the clothing of the patient, necessitating removal or movement of the clothing.

This movement or removal of the clothing is especially troublesome for premature infants and other patients with very delicate skin. The frequent movement of clothing required to access the tubes and wires irritates this delicate skin and causes pain and discomfort to these patients.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention garment with thoracic access system.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing another view of the garment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention garment with thoracic access system.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view diagram of the garment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show one embodiment of a garment 2 with thoracic access. This embodiment is suitable for an infant to wear. Garment 2 is well suited for the premature infant weighting 3-6 pounds. It is designed to provide the health care industry professionals and caregivers easy access to the chest area of the infant without disturbing the infant by removing their clothing. In one embodiment, garment 2 includes torso enclosure 4 and flap 6.

Torso enclosure 4 covers at least the torso of a person wearing garment 2. Torso enclosure 4 has a neck opening 8, a pair of arm openings 10, and a transverse chest opening 12. Transverse chest opening 12 is formed in torso enclosure 4 so as to be positioned over the inferior thoracic cavity of a person wearing garment 2. Transverse chest opening 12 provides quick and easy access to the chest area of an infant wearing the garment.

In one embodiment, torso enclosure 4 includes an upper torso enclosure 14, a middle torso enclosure 16, and a lower torso enclosure 18. Upper torso enclosure 14 includes neck opening 8 and arm openings 10. Middle torso enclosure 16 is below, or inferior to, and joined with upper torso enclosure 14. Middle torso enclosure 16 includes transverse chest opening 12. Lower torso enclosure 18 is inferior to and joined with middle torso enclosure 16. In this embodiment, lower torso enclosure 18 also covers the lower limbs of the person wearing garment 2.

Flap 6 is affixed to middle torso enclosure 16 portion of torso enclosure 4 beside, or laterally of, transverse chest opening 12 and is closeable over transverse chest opening 12. In this arrangement, flap 6 may be closed for comfort or opened to gain access to the person's torso over the thoracic cavity.

In one embodiment, flap 6 is fastened across transverse chest opening 12 with a Velcro® fastener. This opening allows access to the infant's chest area to examine and adjust the heart monitor.

In one embodiment, garment 2 further includes two sleeves 20. One sleeve 20 is affixed about each arm opening 10. Sleeves 20 provide further comfort to the person wearing garment 2. In one embodiment, transverse chest opening 12 is inferior to arm openings 10 and sleeves 20.

In one embodiment, garment 2 further includes at least one loop 22 affixed to a side edge 24 of torso enclosure 4 for securing wires 26 and tubes 28 used by the person wearing garment 2. Loops 22 may also be affixed to flap 6 and upper torso enclosure 14. For example, loops 22 may be located on the front of garment 2 at the top of each shoulder seam and along the side of garment 2 to secure heart monitor wires 26, IV lines 28, and oxygen tubes 28. Loops 22 enhances the infant's safety by securing all wires 26 and tubes 28 out of reach of the infant so they can not be pulled or removed by the infant.

FIG. 3 shows an alternate embodiment of the garment 2 with thoracic access. This embodiment is suited for any person, but is more suitable for older children and adults. The elements of this embodiment are the same as those shown in FIG. 1, but the configuration differs as shown. In this embodiment, lower torso enclosure 18 of torso enclosure 4 at least partially covers the lower limbs of a person wearing garment 2.

FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of the garment of FIGS. 1 and 2. As may be seen in FIG. 4, garment 2 has a torso panel 30, left and right sleeve panels 32, and a flap panel 6. As shown by the dashed lines, torso panel 30 has a generally rectangular base 34, a posterior torso portion 36, and left and right anterior upper torso portions 38.

Posterior torso portion 36 extends from base 34. Left and right anterior upper torso portions 38 extend laterally from posterior torso portion 36 and are foldable across posterior torso portion 36 to form an upper torso enclosure 14.

Left and right sleeve panels 32 are fastened to upper torso enclosure 14. Each of the sleeve panels 32 is foldable onto itself to form a sleeve 20. Sleeves 20 are detachably fastened to allow access to and full exposure of each arm of the infant without having to remove garment 2 without disturbing the infant.

Each single piece sleeve 20 may be opened entirely from the wrist to the neckline. In one embodiment, this opening is closed from the top of the wrist to the neckline with a Velcro® fastener on the underside of the seam allowance. When closed, sleeve 20 is formed. When opened the entire arm of the infant is exposed. This allows sleeves 20 to open entirely without removing garment 2 to expose the infant's arm or to undress the infant with little movement.

Flap panel 6 is fastened to a lateral edge 40 of posterior torso portion 36 between one of the anterior upper torso portions 38 and base 34. In one embodiment, flap panel 6 is situated to cover opening 12 formed in torso panel 30.

In one embodiment, opening 12 is formed approximately three inches down from the center of the front collar. In one embodiment, opening 12 is approximately three inches long by approximately seven and a half inches wide. Opening 12 runs the width of garment 2. On one side of opening 12 a Velcro® fastener is used to close opening 12. On the opposite side of opening 12, directly across from the Velcro® fastener, flap 6 made from the same fabric is attached. Flap 6 is of sufficient width and length to cover opening 12. The end of flap 6 crosses the body to close opening 12. One purpose of opening 12 is to view and make adjustments to heart monitors without removing garment 2.

A Velcro® fastener may also be sewn horizontally on the outside of each garment sleeve 20 beginning at the neck lines measuring approximately ¾ inches and placed on top of the opening or shoulder seam area. On the underside of this Velcro® fastener, approximately ¾ inches in length, twill tape is attached which faces away from the neckline. At the end of the twill tape another small piece of Velcro® fastener is sewn. When the end of the twill tape is attached to the lower piece of Velcro® fastener a small loop 22 is formed. These loops 22 are to secure lead wires 26 and oxygen tubing 28 together.

Two pieces of Velcro® fastener are secured on the outside front of garment 2. Each piece is approximately two and ½ inches long. Approximately one and ½ inches are stitched directly to garment 2. The remaining one and ½ inches is to attach back to the stitched portion, forming loop 22. Loop 22 is to secure all oxygen tubing 28, lead wires 26, and heart monitor wires 26.

The foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A garment for a person to wear, the garment comprising: a torso enclosure having a neck opening, a pair of arm openings, and a transverse chest opening therein, the transverse chest opening formed in the torso enclosure so as to be positioned over the inferior thoracic cavity of a person wearing the garment and a flap affixed to the torso enclosure laterally of the transverse chest opening, the flap closeable over the transverse chest opening.
 2. The garment of claim 1 wherein the transverse chest opening is inferior to the arm openings.
 3. The garment of claim 1 further including a sleeve affixed about each arm opening, wherein the transverse chest opening is inferior to the sleeves.
 4. The garment of claim 1 further including at least one loop affixed to a side edge of the torso enclosure for securing wires and tubes used by the person wearing the garment.
 5. A garment for a person to wear, the garment comprising: an upper torso enclosure having a neck opening and a pair of arm openings therein; a middle torso enclosure inferior to and joined with the upper torso enclosure, the middle torso enclosure having a transverse chest opening therein, the transverse chest opening formed in the middle torso enclosure so as to be positioned over the inferior thoracic cavity of a person wearing the garment; a lower torso enclosure inferior to and joined with the middle torso enclosure; and a flap affixed to the middle torso enclosure laterally of the transverse chest opening, the flap closeable over the transverse chest opening.
 6. The garment of claim 5 wherein the middle torso enclosure is inferior to the arm openings.
 7. The garment of claim 5 further including a sleeve affixed about each arm opening, wherein the middle torso enclosure is inferior to the sleeves.
 8. The garment of claim 5 wherein the upper torso enclosure includes an upper thoracic covering portion inferior to the neck and arm openings and superior to the middle torso enclosure.
 9. The garment of claim 5 further including at least one loop affixed to a side edge of the upper torso enclosure for securing wires and tubes used by the person wearing the garment.
 10. The garment of claim 5 further including at least one loop affixed to a side edge of the middle torso enclosure for securing wires and tubes used by the person wearing the garment.
 11. The garment of claim 5 further including at least one loop affixed to a side edge of the lower torso enclosure for securing wires and tubes used by the person wearing the garment. 12-13. (canceled) 